Japanther

The riotous antics of Matt Reilly and Ian Vanek -- the bratty duo behind Brooklyn's Japanther -- fuel the quirky pop-punk style of the band's latest LP, Tut Tut Now Shake Ya Butt (due Oct. 14 on Wantage USA). Luckily for you, SPIN.com has the album's first track, and boy is it a doozy.

The two former art students attack "Bumpin' Rap Tapes" with distorted bass and their characteristic wall-o-fuzz steeped in Casio keyboards. But Japanther take a giant step forward by using a more conventional song structure: Verse? Check. Chorus? Check. Bridge? Check. The whirlwind tune about friendship -- "tell me you love me, no matter the hour," "and you feel like you need a friend/stick by you till the end" -- passes like summer vacation: far too quickly.

Now Hear This: Japanther, "Bumpin' Rap Tapes" (DOWNLOAD MP3)